Like the previous generation model, the new one shares a platform with the latest Lexus luxury SUV, the LX570. Prior to the mid-nineties, Toyota did offer diesel engines in the US market Land Cruiser but in recent years they have only offered gasoline V-8s.

At the US launch event for the new Land Cruiser Brian Smith, Toyota's truck and SUV marketing manager said that diesels are the dominant choice for buyers outside of North America. Smith indicated that at some point this new diesel could turn up at US dealers as well. In the US market the Land Cruiser has never been one of the top sellers among large SUVs with fewer than 3,400 sales in 2006. Nonetheless Toyota is projected that to more than double to 8,000 anually with the new model.

For overseas markets, Toyota is offering an all-new 4.5L diesel V-8 in the new Land Cruiser. The D-4D engine as it has been dubbed features a common rail injection system, the first time that Toyota has used this setup on a V-8 engine. In combination with a pair of variable nozzle turbochargers the new engine generates 286hp at 3,600 rpm and 479lb-ft from 1600 to 2800rpm.

Each bank of the V-8 gets its own independent common rail injection setup which has 33 percent higher pressure than the older 4.2L inline six cylinder diesel from the last generation model. The 1,800 bar injection pressure helps facilitate finer more precise metering of the fuel. The use of this new injection system enables a pair of 1 mm^3 pilot injection strokes before the main pulse which helps reduce the noise from the combustion process by 3.5 dB compared to the old six.

The twin turbochargers have electrically actuated variable intake nozzles. The DC motors can make faster more precise adjustments to the turbo inlets than the more typical vacuum actuator. The combination of the new turbochargers and fuel system means the engine can respond better to inputs from the driver. With the engine following the driver's request more precisely, the driver is less likely to overshoot what's really needed contributing to improved efficiency.

The turbochargers are also equipped with the equivalent of a dry sump lubrication system. A scavenging system pulls out excess oil in the turbocharger housings, reducing the consumption and emissions. Emissions are further reduced through the use of an exhaust gas recirculation system to lower combustion temperatures and NOx production. The EGR passages have been integrated into the cylinder head castings. This reduces the part count for assembly, while the potential for leaks as well eliminating another source of noise from the connections that are eliminated. The manufacturing costs are also reduced.

In spite of the larger displacement and increased power, the new engine is significantly lighter than the old diesel. The combination of the V-8 block configuration and casting it from compacted graphite cast iron provides for a block that is 75 percent stiffer and 30 percent lighter than the inline six cylinder block. The stronger material and the stiffer configuration reduces the vibration and the noise produced by the new engine.

Compared to the previous diesel engine, the D-4D produces 40 percent more power and 50 percent more torque. The new engine pushes the nearly 5,800lb Land Cruiser to 62mph from a standing start in 8.2 seconds, one second faster than the 4.7L gasoline V-8. The D-4D is compliant with current EURO IV emissions standards but not with US Tier 2 Bin 5 standards. On the European Union combined mileage cycle the 4.5L diesel is rated at 23 mpg compared to 16.3 for the 4.7L gasoline engine.

For the time being Toyota is only offering this new diesel V-8 outside of North America. Toyota spokesman Curt McAllister confirmed that although Toyota is looking at alternative fuels the company has no immediate plans to offer the new diesel to American consumers. At the Los Angeles Auto Show introduction of the 2008 Sequoia, Toyota did announce plans to offer a flex-fuel version of the 4.7L V-8 in that vehicle. According to McAllister there are currently no plans to offer the flex-fuel engine in the Land Cruiser either. If the new fuel economy regulations do get enacted by the US Congress, these plans may change.

Because the US requires more emmission than any other country and diesel here is $2.75+ a gal... Everywhere else it's $1.00...

Due to lower emmissions they can make it get 35+ miles per gal in foreign countries. US it might get 20...

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are you kidding me!!! in England right now both Gasoline and Diesel are at around 1 Pound a Litre...which is the equivalent of $1.60-$2.00 (depending on current exchange rate). Then 1 US Gallon = 4.5 UK Litres so that means that it costs about $7.20-$9.00 per gallon in the UK..

yes Emissions are less strict over there so the Jetta TDi for example gets around 50 MPG over here where it gets around 60 MPG over there but Diesel is still way more efficient than gasoline engines...and better for the earth..

are you kidding me!!! in England right now both Gasoline and Diesel are at around 1 Pound a Litre...which is the equivalent of $1.60-$2.00 (depending on current exchange rate). Then 1 US Gallon = 4.5 UK Litres so that means that it costs about $7.20-$9.00 per gallon in the UK..

yes Emissions are less strict over there so the Jetta TDi for example gets around 50 MPG over here where it gets around 60 MPG over there but Diesel is still way more efficient than gasoline engines...and better for the earth..

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True. I have been living in the UK for 3yrs now. Most vehicles here are desiels. Everyone wants a desiel because of the better mpg. The desiels here actually burn cleaner than gas. There is not reason why we don't have desiels in the US. I think if they did bring desiels over, all gas vehicles would plummit in resale values. Everyone would eventualy switch to a desiel. Engines lasts 3'x longer than gas.

Several reasons. The reason the cars are small over here is because fuel is expensive and the damn roads are soooo skinny. Some two lanes roads are smaller than our 1 lane back country road. Some of the villiges here are so old with the same width roads that they used when they had horse buggies to get around in. The british are proud of their heritge and it takes permission from the Queen to tear down a historical building.

I said the reason why the cars are so small is because the price of petrol is so high people need fuel efficient cars. The fact too that I was just in St. Andrews, Scotland recently, I KNOW what a true historical, famous town looks like over in the UK.

EDIT: Just saw your edit lol

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Yeah, sorry. I messed up. You are correct. But I do think another reason is because the damn roads are so small. europe built their roads on top of past horse buggy roads. Since alot of houses are still standing from Jesus's time, they have no room for expansion. Thats why America and Canada! is so awesome. we are a new country that can develope wide roads for our big ass SUV's.LOL!